Hot line stick



J. B. `Mmrs HOT LINE STICK Filed April 10, 1941 J2/mf .E /Vags Attorney l Patented Oct. `27, 1942 UNITED STAT Es PATEN T` o Fisica nor LINE STICK n John B. Mays, Crossville, Tenn. n Y VAlxplicttion April 10, 1941'Seridl $87,949'

` (o1. 'sfr-53j 2 claims.

rlhis invention relates to what are generally known in the-art as hot line sticks, and particularly to a type o f suchstick as is equipped for holding, applying', V tightening and releasing a screw-clamp used for connecting a lead or tap to alive conductor or transmission line. 1

` An object of the present invention is to 'im'- provegenerally upon such types of sticks, and `particularly to provide such a stick as and for the purpose stated as will permit thgoperatorto remain in a safe position on fthe pole while manipulating the stick.

` A furtherobject of the'invention is to provide a stick of ,this character that will be free of all?,

seams or grooves thereby making the same safe forfusc in damp or Wet Weather and consequently increase the safety factor involved.

" A" further object vof the invention is to provide a device of this vcharacter which, in addition to being usedjfor the purposeV above stated, may be `also used with equal facility and to advantage in the removing and replacing of fuse barrels or holders. V

' The invention together with itsobjects andad-v 'vantageswill be' best understood from,` a studyof the'lollowing` description taken in connection with the accompanying" drawing wherein- Figu'rel` is an elevational view of a hotline stick embodying `the features of the present in- -vention and 'illustrating the manner of using the same.A l l Figure 2 is an elevational vieW of the stick taken atrightangles to .Figure l, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View through the head of the stick illustrating certain details hereinafter more fully referred to. I

Referring more in detail to the drawing, it

will be seen that in the preferred embodiment dium of oppositely disposed pins 8 is a relatively short cylinder or socket 9.

The cylinder or socket 9 is provided in di-` ametrically opposite sides thereof with slots I9 A9 and opening. at one end through the top edge of the cylinder or, socket 9 as shown. 1

i The socketor cylinder'9 accommodates a sub stantially Lil-shaped hook II, the armsof which extend through one of the slots I Il and the bight, or curved end of Whi-ch is accommodated in the other of the' slots I0 as clealyshown.

The hook II` has'one leg IIa thereof suitably secured to the head end of an elongatedl bolt I2 that extends down into the cylinder 'I through an axial opening in aplug I3 that is coniined in the upper end of the body 1.

Thebody I is provided on its periphery with a groove I4 that accommodates the inner pointed ends of the pins 8 as shown in Figure 3.

V The hook II is yieldably urged inwardly of the socket or cylinder 9 through themedium of a coil spring I5. l

The spring I5 is disposed about the bolt I2 and *has one end impinging against the plug I3 and an opposite end impinging against a Washer I6 that is conned onthe bolt I2 between said one end of the `spring I5 and a nut I'I threaded on the free end of the bolt as shown.

Preferably the washer IIiis of a diameter as to have a more or less snugr Working t within the cylinder `I. A

The longer and somewhat angularly shaped leg IIb`of the hookII is provided at its free extremity with a knob,v or enlargement I8 as shown.

As` previously stated the Aimplement herein illustrated and described is designed primarily for vapplication to and the operation of the eye screw I9 of a clamp of the type used for connecting a lead or tap to a live conductor or transmission line; and which clamps vary considerably in number and design, but are all, generally speaking, characterized by a clamping screw such as referred to above as screw I9. I

In using the device to rotate the screw, I9 for effecting either a clamping engagement of the clamp with the work, or the release of the clamp, the parts of the implement are` normally in the full line position shown in the drawing. In this position, the headed end I8 of the leg I Ib of hook I I is first passed through the eye of the screw I9.

When this has been accomplished the operator pulls downwardly on the handle 5, and the screw I9 being substantially stationary with respect to the stick, the socket or cylinder 9 moves downwardly so that the upper edge thereof, against the action of spring I2, clears, or substantially clears the leg IIa, of the hook II. This will permit the leg IIb to be passed further through the elongated longitudinally of the cylinder or socket 55 eye of the screw I9 so that When this downward pushed the leg pull on the handle 5 is released, the parts will then return to the position shown in the drawing, and in which position the eye of the screw I9 is engaged with the leg I Ib within the confines of the socket or sleeve 9 and is thereby retained in engagement with the hook I I against casual displacement as the tool is being manipulated to turn the screw 9 for threading the same home or loosening the screw as found desirable.

Obviously, in connection with the abo-ve, the hook I I beingy seated inthe socket 9 and engaged with the screw eye as shown in Figure 3, all' the parts of the head 6 will turn with the handle 5 as a unit, thus causing the screw 9 to turn for` again exerted on the handle 5 until the upper end l.

obtained, the handle 5 isgiven a turn in the desired' direction so as to bring the lslots 'Ill in the sleeve 9 to a 'position substantially atright angles to the position the slots are shown in in Figure 3 sothat only solid end edge portions `of the sleeve 9' are then presented to the leg I I, so that the legV II will then'rest on the upper 'Vend edgeof the sleeve 9. When this'has been accom- IIb of the. hook,l may be readily withdrawn through thev eyeA of the screw .I9 and the stick thereby wholly disengaged from the screw I9'. In this connectionit will be appreciated that by reason of the pin and groove connection between the tubular member 'I and Y the plug I3, the sleeve 'I andassociated 4partsk may be readily rotated about the` bolt I2 as an axis an'dfrelativefto the hook II when v,it is desired, as above stated,` to placer the slots vIllof thecylinder orsocket 9 at substantially right angles Vto the longitudinalv dimensions of the rockin. 1 L` l y As will also; lbefclear to thoseskilled in the art, thisl device `may 1be Vused with equal facility inreplacing and removing fuse barrels or holders.

,k It isthought-that rthe advantages of a hot line stick embodying the features of the present invention will be clear to those skilled in the art ,without further detailed description., l

l Also, while [have herein illustrated and described the preferredembodiment of the inven-` Itherefore I'donot wish to unnecessarilylimit myself to the preciseembodiment illustrated.

" retain said hook against rotative movement relative to said socket, a spring mechanism conned within said head and engaged with said hook and normally urging the hook inwardly of said socket; andsaid hook having a free terminal normally projecting outwardly of said socket through one 'of said slots to facilitate initial engagement of the hookwith the eye screw of the clamp, said hook being slidable in said slots to withdraw the same out of said pocket in opposition to said vspring means andrrotatable when withdrawn relative to said slots to seat the same on the `miter `end of the socket.

` 2.V A manipulating stick for hot-,line eye screwoperated clamps, comprising a handle provided on one end thereof rwith a head,said head embodying a ycylindrical socket having opposed slots in the peripheral wall thereof'opening through theupper edge of the wall, a bolt slidablyland rotatablyy mounted within said head, a hook secured to one end ofthe bolt and normally disposed inwardly of said socket, a spring device connected with `the bolt normally urging the Same in one,directionfor1 yieldably retaining saidrhook inwardly of Ysaid socket; said hook being, substantially U-shaped inv side elevation-and havingthe legs thereof at the openend of the U normally accommodated in. one of said slots,vwith the lclosed endof the U normally acommodated in the other of said slots, and one of said legs being adapted to be inserted into the eyeof the clampoperating screw forrturning said screw; `the whole assembly being such that upon a downward pull on thehandle of `said stick with the hook engaged as aforesaid with the clamp-operating eye screw said socket is movabledownwardly relative to the hook to clear thev latter, with said handle and head assembly rotatable as a unit about the bolt so as to bringv portions of the wall of the socket betweenthe slots thereof into engagement with the hook to retain the hook substantially wholly exteriorly of the socket;

JOHN B..MAYS. 

